The present invention relates to the field of airbag safety systems, and more particularly to an airbag assembly.
Airbag safety systems have come into widespread use in automotive vehicles and trucks. For example, a modern car can have various airbags, such as a driver airbag, passenger airbag, knee airbags, side airbags and/or other airbags.
Such airbag systems comprise an inflatable cushion, commonly referred to as an ‘airbag’ which is stored folded in a storage receptacle and then very rapidly inflated, as with gas from a pyrotechnic gas generator, when a collision of the vehicle is detected by sensors. The airbag is thereby deployed in a position to absorb the impact of the driver or a passenger.
One or more airbag deployment doors normally overlie the airbag receptacle and are forced open when the airbag is inflated to allow deployment of the airbag through the opening created by the door panel movement.
It is critical that the airbag deploys within milliseconds of activation of the airbag system in order to protect the occupant. However, the inflating airbag can exercise a considerable force onto the occupant. This causes a concern for child safety when the airbag deploys into a forward facing child safety seat. In such instances, the airbag may cause considerable harm or even death to the front facing child.
To prevent such harm some prior art airbag safety systems have an airbag deactivation switch. By means of the airbag deactivation switch the airbag safety system can be switched off in order to prevent deployment of the airbag when a collision is detected. This allows placing a child in front of an airbag. However, there is still a residual risk in case the driver has inadvertently forgotten to switch off the airbag system when the child is placed in front of the airbag. Another risk of such systems is that the airbag needs to be reactivated when an adult is placed in front of the airbag which may also be forgotten by the driver.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,012 shows a child seat sensor assembly. Upon sensing the presence of a child seat, a control signal is sent to the vehicle control system in order to limit or prevent deployment of the airbag. However, this system requires a special child safety seat.
The invention aims to provide an improved airbag assembly that reduces the maximum force impaled to an occupant in order to reduce the risk of injury, especially when the occupant is a child.